This archive report was first published on 17 September 2019.
Published on September 17, 2019, Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde expressed optimism about Lionel Messi's potential return to the pitch for the team's Champions League opener against Borussia Dortmund.
Despite missing the beginning of the season due to a calf injury, Messi was named in Barcelona's squad for the match, but his participation remains uncertain.
"We will decide tomorrow. For the last week we have been unsure whether he will be able to play, but he has trained two or three times and made a good impression. We will see," Valverde said at a press conference.
Valverde also hinted that 16-year-old Ansu Fati, who became the club's youngest ever goalscorer earlier this month, might make his Champions League debut, but emphasized that the decision would not be based on breaking records.
Barcelona is looking to move past their dramatic semi-final defeat to Liverpool in last season's Champions League, with Valverde stating that the team wants to go further this year than they have in the past two seasons.
However, Barcelona's German keeper Marc Ter Stegen warned that Dortmund would provide a tough first test, citing the team's past struggles against Borussia Moenchengladbach and the coaching skills of current Dortmund coach Lucien Favre.
